# A Remarkable Coincidence of Inspiration
I have trained in the art of computer science for a while now. It is a science of computation theory and systems design.
Programming is fundamentally the art of giving precise instructions to a complex system. In my years of study, I have found many similarities between the precise language of computer instructions and the development of my own set of guiding principles to live by.
This blog is a place where I can reflect upon my observations of the world; Indeed, it is a reflection of who I am.
For so long as I have been interested in developing software, so too have I kept careful accounts of my life experiences in the form of journaling. The first and foremost similarity between these two disciplines is the use of the english language. I strive to be as honest as I can be in both practices for the sake of integrity. Integrity is critical to any system. While I should be strict in addressing faults in software, I should still be gentle when evaluating my own faults.
Anyway, I often find I must re-evaluate my premises, especially including the language that I use. Therefore, I reassure myself simply by defining words.
As it so happened, I found myself feeling profoundly inspired after a deeply personal hallucinogenic experience. In computer science, recursion is an interesting concept of abstract self reflection. Sometimes I'll notice the meaning in a word (or multiple words) will have patterns of recursion (and fractals!).
So I wondered: what is inspiration?
I said, "Hey, Google: define inspiration."
"Inspiration has 3 different meanings. Starting with the most common one: inspiration can be used as a noun to mean the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative, similarly to creativity and inventiveness. Is that the meaning you were looking for?"
"No."
"Alright. Inspiration can also be used as a noun to mean a sudden brilliant, creative, or timely idea, similarly to 'bright idea' or 'brilliant idea' . Is that the meaning you were looking for?"
"No"
"Alright. Finally, inspiration can be used as a noun to mean the drawing in of breath, as in 'The crackling sounds of inhalation could be heard thru the stethescope.'"
Interesting. I had just done some yoga for the first time in what felt like forever and I was definitely feeling inspired.
Coincidentally, I said, "Hey, Google: define coincidence."
"Coincidence has 3 different meanings. Starting with the most common one, coincidence can be used as a noun to mean a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection. Is that the meaning you were looking for?"
"No."
"OK. Coincidence can also be used as a noun to mean: correspondence in nature or in time of occurrence, as in 'The coincidence of interest between the mining companies and certain politicians'. Is that the meaning you had in mind?"
Interesting. "No".
"OK. Finally, coincidence can be used as a noun to mean: the presence of ionizing particles or other objects in two or more detectors simultaneously, or of two or more signals simultaneously in a circuit."
I found this fascinating. There seems to be some kind of recurrence (opens new window) here. A correspondence?
Something that's always stuck with me is a Joe Rogan clip (opens new window) where he wonders if maybe ideas are living things as well. I find language to be highly conductive of ideas.
Curiously, in being reminded of the Joe Rogan podcast, I found episode #1236 to be missing.
